Hearing the young scholarship student's question, the professor did not answer immediately. Instead, he raised a finger, struck up a tiny spark, and pressed it to the golden tobacco in his pipe. With a wisp of blue smoke, he tucked the pipe between his lips and took a deep drag.
Puff...
The professor exhaled a dense cloud of smoke that nearly swallowed him whole. Yet Zheng Qing could still clearly see those bright, gleaming eyes of his, like the shell on an insect's back—hard and polished to a shine.
"The school is rather chaotic at the moment, on every level."
The Legendary Wizard behind the desk spoke to the young scholarship student with surprising bluntness and candor. "You know, because of certain rumors, I did not become Vice Principal. Ms. Emma, who did become Vice Principal—this assessment is entirely objective and has nothing to do with personal grudges—is barely qualified for the position from the standpoint of ability..."
Zheng Qing's face crumpled into a knot.
After hearing Old Yao finish that first stretch, he had wanted to cover his ears and block out every word that followed. But before a Legendary Wizard, such behavior was both impossible and impolite.
"...Modestly speaking, I still have some supporters in this school."
The professor lifted an arm and waved it, as though dispersing the smoke before him, or making an emphatic gesture. "Even though they know my identity... you should understand that at the level of High-level Wizards, there is no essential difference between demons and wizards. And after reaching a certain stage, such as Archwizard, magical resources are more important than learning ability when one wishes to condense a complete true form... My supporters support me because, after I become Vice Principal, I can bring them more resources..."
Perhaps worried that the